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fsists, substantially, in providing Hman nnnnAN, or New Yoan,

iMPRoi/EMENTiNBRsscH-eonome Fins-ARMS@ Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. LSYSB', dated December 1,5,v '1374; appiteration filed A october 11,1513. j

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM BERDAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in .Breech- Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specnication: y

.Figure l is a top View of my improved arm. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the movable breech-piece and iring-pln. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections on the line c c, lfig. 0, showing the parts in the different positions. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line k k, Fig. l, looking backward. Fig.` (i is a detail side view of the adjustable face ofthe movable breech-piece; 'Fig'.", a detail ,endv View thereof. Fig. 8 is a detail back view of the movable breech-piece. Fig. 0 is a side view, partly in section, of the loeka'nd breech organism, showing the piece in position ready for firing. Fig. 10 is a similar sectionaljview, showing the parts inposition ready for load'- lng. 1l is a detail horizontal `longitudinal section ot' the front part of the breechblock and firing-pin, when ythe same are in position ready for firing.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The iirst part of my invention relates to the construction of the tiring-pin; and consists in a tiring-pin so constructed that its point is made separate from its body, so that it can be renewed at pleasure without its being necessary to renew the' whole pin, and by the reason of the tiring-pin being lit-ted with a icani or wedge, as before explained, itis more convenient that the point should be made separate from the body, instead of its being` rigidly attached thereto.

`r.lhe second part of my invention relatesA to a/new construction of the hammer; and cona latch in the under side of said hammer, working in a slot formed in the underside of the bolt or breech-piece, for the purpose ot' preventing the hammer from coming Jforward until the breech-piece is fully closed. The said latch is also fastened to prevent the unlocking of the breechlpiece when the hammer is at halt'- cock, and this result is obtained by forming an angle, or an incline or groove in the bottom of the shoe on which the said latch is caused to slide, so that when the hammer is at half-cock, it is impossible to unlock the breech-pieceby reason of the said, angle or incline forcing thevlatch intofthegroove provided in the rear endotth'e breech-piece.. In the accompanying drawing, the letterA represents the breech-receiver, B the movable breech-piece, C the hammer, D ,the tiring-pin, E the extractor, and-F'th'e barrehallo'f which parts, together with' the trigger, scar,y and their accompany-*ing springs, are rarranged substantially partly. inthe manner, common to breech-loaders 'of the sliding-bolt .construction, and part-ly in accordai'icewith the Letters Patent granted Ito me iuG'reat Britain en the 9th day of April,plS68,` No,4 1,200. The tiring-pinv l) is provided with lal,'double-faced cam,a.,lasshownin Figs, 2, .1.0, l1, npongiJ ich cam orwedgeis caused'te work on the-rear endet' the adjustableiace b offthe breechblock l5. A pin, x, secures the adjustable face b inposition, as shown in Fig. l1, and insures its. partial revolution with the breechpiece 13,-whilc the tiring-pin is prevented from which secures itvto the revolving` by apn, (l, hammer C, as shown iii-Fig. 10.

The act of unlockingl the breech-piece causes the withdrawal land consequent sheathing of the iirii'ig-pin, as shown inf Fig. .10, where the cani' a ot' the pin is shown to'beresting` in the shallower of the tfwo selsof notches in the bacltend lof the adjustable face, and which sets of notches are clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7,110 and l1. Upon fully locking the piece, and drawing the ,firing-pin I) back to full cock,-the deeper ofthe two sets of notches in the adjustable face Iris-presented to the cam a of the tring-pin-that is to say, brought in line with said cam, which ils'thus allowed as soon as the trigger is detached and the pin thrown forward to enter the deeper groove, and to cause the pin to protrude from the breech-block and ignite the cartridge.

The double cam-face of ay possesses the'further advantage'ofin'suring' the force necessary to withdraw the pin, being applied only above and below its center in opposite directions, and, therefore, in a line parallel to its longitudinal axis.

The point c of the firing-pin is made separate from its body, so that it can be renewed at pleasure, without the necessity of renewing the whole pin.

The operation of this part will be readily understood. The face-piece b, being secured to the bolt or block B, turns with the same as said bolt is turned from the locked to the unlocked position. In the locked position, when the handle w isfturned aside, as in Fig. 4, the deeper groove in the`faee-pieee will be in line with. the cam a, as in Fig. '11, and when the piece is applied said cam will enter the deeper groove. When thereupon the knob w is taken hold of, and the breech-block turned to bring the notch into an upright position, such turning will cause the cam to be drawn back as it is forced to leave the deeper groove, until such cam finally enters the shallower groove and remains therein. By suchwithdrawal ot' the cam from the deeper to the shallower groove, the point di' the pin is withdrawn or sheathed into the face b, and prevented therefore from farther protruding beyond such face. In this position-that is to say, in the position shown in Fig. l0, the cam remains with respect to the face-piece b, during all the subsequent motions of the breechblock and hammer, until the breech-block is again moved againstthe breech end ofthe barrel, when the face is with drawnfrom the cama., when by the subsequent turning ofthe breechbiock into the locked position, the deeper groove is again brought in line with the cam a, and the parts are again in the position shown in Fig. 2. To the hammer U is applied a latch, f, which is pivoted to it hyl. a pin, g, and working` within a slot in the under side of the hammer. Two grooves, hy and i, which are clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and S, are formed in the rear end of the breech-piece B. 1f the breech-piece be either fully locked or fully unlocked, one or the other of these grooves is presented tothe latch, which can then go forward, as in Fig. 4.. Should the breech-piece, however, be only parti ally locked, the latelij', and, consequently, the hammer C, is prevented from going forward by the intermediate solid portion j, between thc grooves h and i", which then presents itself to the'latch, as in Fig. 3. The said latch also, in the following manner, prevents the unlocking of the breech-piece when the hammer is at half-cock. An angle or incline, k, is formed in the bottom of the shoe or breech receiver A. When the hammer is ,at half-cock the latch j' rests upon the top of theg'angle or incline 7c,

and must have entered the groove h. Thus, if at the time of placing the hammer atl halt'- eock the breech-piece were locked, it cannot now be unlocked, because the latch of the hammer locks the breech-piece. At full-cock, as in Fig. 9, the breech-piece can be either locked or unlocked, because the latch is then drawn backward and quite clear ot' both notches h and i. After the hammer has gone fully forwardthe breech-piece can be either locked or unlocked, because the latch then has fallen down the incline or angle 7c, and is therefore below and quite clear of the grooves h Thus the groove i serves to receive the latch when the hammer is being ired, though subsequently-that is, when thefirin g h as ceasedthe latch will drop down thc incline and become disengaged from the breech-piece, allowing the latter to be turned with the knob w into an upright position, whereupon the groove h will be in line with the latch, receiving it as the bolt is beingmoved backward, and the latch thereby lifted on the lincline 7c.

I am aware that a lever has been arranged on the hammer for the purpose of locking the bolt when the scar is in the half-cock notch. Said lever was operated through a inlerum, and the sear on entering the half-cock notch struck one end of the lever, thereby forcing the opposite end into the groove in the bolt. The objection to the said lever is that it weakens the safety-notch in the hammer, when room has to be made for the lever. and there is nothing to prevent the hammer from goin forward before the bolt is locked, when the hammer is at full-cock. Mine is a latch for the reason that it operates from the same end that locks the bolt, and it is so arranged that the hammer cannot go forward until the bolt is locked.

I claim, as my invention- 4 1. The firing-pin of a breech-loading lirearm, having its point e made detachable, substantially-as speciiicd. i

2. The combination of the latch f ofthe hammer with the breech-block I, having two grooves or notches, h and i, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. Il. BERIDAN.

Vitnesscs:

HERMANN KREISMANN, lllnNnY T. BROWN. 

